Vietnamese 'không gì' Usage (Nothing / Not Anything)
'không gì' means 'nothing' or 'not anything', negating things or content.
Quick explanation
Quick explanation
'không gì' means 'nothing' or 'not anything', negating things or content.
English meanings
- nothing
- not anything
Grammar pattern
Examples
1
Không gì quan trọng hơn sức khỏe.
Nothing is more important than health.
2
Tôi không hiểu gì cả.
I don't understand anything at all.
How to use it
'không gì' can function as a noun or combine with verbs to mean 'do nothing' or 'there is nothing to...'. It contrasts with 'không ai' where 'ai' refers to people and 'gì' refers to things or content.
- Use 'gì' when referring to things, content, or matters.
- Add 'cả' to emphasize complete negation.
- Use 'ai' when referring to people.
Compared with English
Compared with English
In English, 'no one' and 'nothing' both start with 'no'; Vietnamese chooses 'ai' for people and 'gì' for things accordingly.
Common mistakes
Không ai quan trọng hơn sức khỏe.
Không gì quan trọng hơn sức khỏe.
Health is a matter, not a person, so use 'gì'.
Tôi không hiểu ai cả.
Tôi không hiểu gì cả.
'Not understand anything' refers to content, so use 'gì'.
Commonly confused grammar
Practice
Multiple choice
Which sentence means 'Nothing is more important than health'?
Show answer
Multiple choice
Which sentence means 'Nothing is more important than health'?
- Không gì quan trọng hơn sức khỏe.
- Không ai quan trọng hơn sức khỏe.
- Chưa gì quan trọng hơn sức khỏe.
Answer: Không gì quan trọng hơn sức khỏe.
Explanation: Use 'gì' for things or matters.
Fill in the blank
Fill in the blank: ____ quan trọng hơn sức khỏe.
Show answer
Fill in the blank
Fill in the blank: ____ quan trọng hơn sức khỏe.
Answer: Không gì quan trọng hơn sức khỏe.
Explanation: Use 'gì' when referring to things or content.
English to Vietnamese
Translate "Nothing is more important than health." into Vietnamese.
Show answer
English to Vietnamese
Translate "Nothing is more important than health." into Vietnamese.
Answer: Không gì quan trọng hơn sức khỏe.
Explanation: Use không gì in the same structure as the example.
True or false
'không gì' can be used exactly like the English 'not'.
Show answer
True or false
'không gì' can be used exactly like the English 'not'.
Answer: False
Explanation: Vietnamese negation depends on what is negated: action, identity, completion, ability, necessity, or command.
Correction
Correct this sentence: Tôi không hiểu ai cả. (meaning: don't understand anything)
Show answer
Correction
Correct this sentence: Tôi không hiểu ai cả. (meaning: don't understand anything)
Answer: Tôi không hiểu gì cả.
Explanation: Not understanding content uses 'gì', not 'ai'.